Match Details
Match Date	2nd Jun, 2002
Opponent	South Sydney
Result	Win 28-18
Coach	Steven Folkes
Captain	Glen Hughes
Venue	Sydney Showground Homebush
Crowd	8,105
Referee	Paul Simpkins

The Bulldogs have overcame a scare to record a 28-18 victory over South Sydney and equal their club record of nine consecutive wins in a row.

South Sydney skipped away to a shock 12-0 lead before the Bulldogs hit back to lead 16-12 at halftime. Ahead 22-12 with 15 minutes remaining the Bulldogs looked comfortable before the Rabbitohs struck back with a try 12 minutes from fulltime to Brett Sheehan. But the Bulldogs managed to weather the storm and record the win. With the win the Bulldogs sit a-top the NRL table for a 2nd consecutive week just nudging ahead of the Broncos who are on equal points with a six point better for and against.

Souths scored just three minutes into the game when Brett Sheehan dummied over under the posts to score. The Bulldogs couldn't hang onto the ball for the opening minutes of the match, losing it on early tackles on their first 2-3 sets. South took full toll with the early try but there was more to come...

When McLean chased through a grubber to score shortly after the Rabbitohs were shock 12-0 leaders and the Bulldogs in danger of losing their second game of the season. But the competition leading Bulldogs remained composed and slowly worked their way into the match by hanging onto the ball; completing their sets and remaining patient. They hit back with a try to Luke Patten following a terrific Paul Rauhihi offload.

The match fired up when Brett Sheehan and Darrell Trindall were sin-binned in the 30th minute for fighting after Sheehan knocked on feeding a scrum and Trindall couldn't help himself by getting in the youngsters face. Then Minutes later the Bulldogs capitalised on the extra space on the field when Matt Utai crossed for his first of three tries when he successfully nabbed a Sherwin cross field bomb with no pressure, then shrugged off Souths defenders to power over in the corner to score. El Masri's touchline conversion sailed wide and it looked like the Rabbits would take a narrow lead into halftime.

But just a minute before the break Adam Perry broke away mid-field before kicking forward for his outside chasers Willie Talau and Matthew Utai. Talau dived through knocked it back for Utai who picked up the crumbs to score. There was a doubt over whether Talau had knocked on but the try was ruled ok by the video referee. El Masri made no mistake the second time with the kick and the Dogs went into halftime leading 16-12.

Utai made it three tries for the game when the Bulldogs scored just three minutes into the 2nd half. The Bulldogs - attacking the line - kept the ball alive and when Jamie Feeney hunting wide of the ruck, managed to reel in the outside defence then offload creating an easy overlap outwide. El Masri's conversion made it 22-12 and the match threatened to blow out.

But to Souths credit they hung in and managed to make a game of it out of pure desperation. The Bulldogs were mounting pressure but the Souths managed to hold on despite being bombarded by grubbers and short kicks. At one stage the Bulldogs had four consecutive sets in attack but couldn't breakthrough.

The Bulldogs came close to scoring on numerous occasions, none more notable than when Matt Utai looked to have cross for his fourth try of the match. A set play from a scrum, coming infield Utai weaved around the Souths defence, broke through and touched down besides the posts. Simpkins went to the video referee to look at potential obstruction, and replays showed they while a Willie Mason decoy run was perfectly alright, it became apparent that in the backplay Darrell Trindall had tripped Souths fullback Wade McKinnon. McKinnon would have had a play at Utai and no-try was ruled. Trindall was lucky not to be sent from the field with the match officials ruling the trip was not deliberate.

In the 62nd minute Brad Watts was sin-binned after Matt Utai continued his barnstorming game running from his own in goal line to charge right up to halfway. Watts failed to get off Utai quick enough for Paul Simpkins liking who was becoming extremely impatient with player discretions.

Darrell Trindall was sin-binned for the second time with around 16 minutes remaining for another play of the ball infringement. A minute later Souths scored when youngster Brett Sheehan scored his second try - darting out of dummy half and powering into Luke Patten and Corey Hughes. Sheehan managed to just get the ball down on the line - the video referee ruled Refs call but Paul Simpkins had little doubt.

Down 22-18 the Rabbitohs had a big chance of still causing a boil over and had a golden opportunity to hit the front 10 minutes from time with consecutive sets in attack but were unable to post points.

With 6 minutes remaining the Bulldogs nailed the win, set up by the individual brilliance of Brent Sherwin. On the last tackle 30 metres from the South Sydney goalline, Sherwin chipped over the top - regathered and passed in the one motion to Willie Talau who scored in the corner. El Masri's conversion from the sideline made it 28-18. It was the type of brilliance that was the only difference between the two sides come fulltime.

Source: www.rleague.com

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